Valve for radiators.



PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

BU. EQ'VAN AUKEN. VALVE FOB. RADIATORS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1903.

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BYRON E. VANAUKEN, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VALVE FOR RADIATORS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 7, 1906.

Application filed August 1, lOS. $erial No 167.885.

To all whom it may concern:

a citizen ofthe Uni-ted States, and a resident of Chicago, Cook county, in the State of Illi- -nois, have invented certain new anduseful Im rovements in Valves for Radiators, of which the following, when taken in connection with the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof, is a full and complete description sufiicient to enable, those skilled in the art to which it pertains to understand, make, and use the same.-

This invention relates to valves designed to be placed upon the discharge ends of radiators of steam-heating systems for the purpose of discharging the air and water of condensation from the radiators; and the object of the invention is to provide means whereby when, the air contained in the radiator. to which the device is attached has been forced from the radiator through this device by the pressure in such radiator being greater than the pressure on the discharge end of this aparatus no considerable uantity of steam will be discharged from t e radiator, while water of condensation forced into or deposited in the device will be automatically di'scharged therefrom when more than a given quantity'of such water of condensation is contained in the float-chamber thereof.

A further object of the invention is to obtain a device of the kind named and for the purpose set forth which willproduce a minimum of noise in the operation thereof, particularly when applied to a vacuum steamheatin system. v

In the drawings referred to, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a radiator with a device embodying this invention attached thereto,

such figure showing. also the attachment of the steam-supply pipe to the radiator and the attachment of a plpe to the discharge end of thisapparatus, such pipe being adapted to constitute the-vacuum- 1pc of a vacuum steam-heating system. 1g. 2 is a vertical sectional view, onan enlarged scale, of the device embodying this invention; and Fig. 3

is a view showing in detail a leakage-groove in the valve attached to the float of'the apparatus.

A'reference-letter applied to designate a given art is used to indicate such part throughout the several figures of the drawings wherever the same appears.

. n Fig. 1,, A is a radiator in a steam-heatator A, and C is a valve which when closed prevents admission of steam to radiator A and which must be open in order to ermit steam to flow from steam-supply pi e into radiator A. D is a side elevation o a device embodying this invention attached to the discharge end of the radiator A, and E is a pipe attached to the discharge end of this apparatus.

For the construction of the device embodying this invention particular reference is made in the description to Fig. 2 of the drawings, wherein (Z is the outer shell or casing of thedevice. F is the stem of the device, by means' of which the device is attached to the radiator, preferably by a union G, consisting of the parts 9 g.' H is a well in the shell (1, adjacent to the stem F. J is the float-chamber. of the device. is a float in float-chamber J. Radiator A and floatchamber'J are connected by a conduit comrising a passage-way through stem F to well I and a passage-way I from well H'to such float-chamber. Passage I discharges into float-chamber J above the level of the water therein required to lift the float K, as at i. 'h is a continuation of the side wall of the casing to below the top of the Kpassage in stem F, forming a weir. Float is provided at the lower end thereof with valve 7c, seating on seat Z, to close outlet L when the float is in its lowest position, and at its upper end-with uide-stem 10, moving loosely in the recess provided therefor in shell d. k is a groove in valve 7c, forming a leakagetherethrough when the valve is seated. 3 is a stem to v'alve k, extending below the valve-seat 1 into the outlet L, such stem tending to keep the valve-seat clean in the operation'of the a paratus. s Ightly above the bottom 0 float-chamber J for the same reason-that is, to tend to keep the valve-seat clean. M is a vertically-extending passage-way communicating at its upper end, as by means of the restricted passage-way its lower end with the outlet L below the seat Z of valve 70. The restricted passage-way N is of such diameter that when steam passes therethrough some of such steam is converted into water of condensation Q is a cap provided to close the o ening In the wall of shell d, through which t e'elbow it (provided with the restricted passage-way N there- I through) is inserted in its place in passageway M and screwed into position substan- N, with the float-chamber J, and at.

95 Valve-seat lis referably raised tially as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

0 is a cap closing the upper end of passage way M. O is a cap closing the upper end of the float-chamber J. The apparatus, as above described, comprises an automatically operating device. To obtain means for hand operation of the device, I provide communicating passageway P between well H and outlet L and the plug Q, having the valve at the innerend thereof seating to close the passage-way P and the screw-thread qon the body part thereof fitting into corresponding screwthreads g in the'shell of the apparatus, so that when the stem Q is turned in one direction the valve Q will be forced onto its seat and when turned in the opposite direction will be retracted from such seat to open the passage-way P. v

a R is an ordinary stuffing-box to stem The groove 70 in valve is is not intended to be of sufficient size to handle the water of condensation which is delivered into the float-chamber J in the operation of the device; Hence after the air has been forced from the radiator such groove will be uickly sealed against steam passing theret lrough from the float-chamber into outlet L by the water of condensation contained in the float when water of condensation or steam passes through restricted passage-way N it becomes partially clogged thereby and but little water or steam will flow therethrough. ater of condensation accumulates in chamber J in two ways. First, when steam is contained in flOa-t chamber J after the passageway lc is sealed by water of condensation deposited in such float-chamber additional water of condensation will accumulate therein by the continuous condensation of steam in such chamber, and, second, whether steam is contained in float-chamber J or not as often as the well H becomes sufliciently filled with water of condensation from the radiator to which the apparatus is attached to seal the lower end of the vertical passage-Way I and sufficient difference of pressure is obtained in the radiator and the float-chamber J some of such water of condensation will be forced 6 5 outlet L through valve-seat Z. This operation is continued so long as sufficient water of condensation is contained in such chamber J to maintain the valve is off its seat, and water of condensation will be continuously supplied to chamber J so long as sufficient water of condensation is contained J in the radiator to which this apparatusis attached 'to seal the lower end of passage-way I in well H. The water of condensation is forcedfrom Well H u the passage-way I over into the floatcfiamber J because of the greater pressure existing in theradiator over the pressure in floatchamber J This difference of pressure is obtained in one of two'ways-first, when outlet L coinmunicates with the atmosphere by a pressure greater than that of the atmosphere maintained in the radiator; second, when the outlet L is connected to a vacuumpipe, as is preferably done, by the lowering of the pressure of the contents of the float chamber J to below the pressure of the contents of the radiator. When the pressure in the radiator is atmospheric or below, the pressure in float-chamber J is reduced below such radiator-pressure by connecting outletpipe L to a' vacuum-pipe communicating with an exhausting apparatus. Restricted passage-way N becomes filled with water of V condensation when steam is supplied thereto from the float chamber due to the lower ternperature of the walls of such passageway, and when steam ceases to be supplied to the float-chamber and to such passage-way on the float-chamber side thereof the water of condensation in such passage-way will be drawn therefrom and the pressure in the float-chamber will gradually fall and become equalized with the-pressure in discharge-outlet-L. \Vhen the seal in well H is broken and no air is contained in the radiator, steam will pass from the radiator into float-chamber J and water of condensation will be thereby deposited in such float-chamber to seal passage-way and in passageway N to sub* stantially seal it. When air is in the radiator to which this device is attached and the seal in well H is brokonfsuch air is forced into float-chamber J, where it remains until passage-way N or passage-way k is freed, or

nearly so, of water of condensation ,whereupon 1 r 5 such air is forced through such passage-Ways or the one thereof which is opened. When air is forced from the radiator into floatchamber J and through passage-way N (or passage-way k therefrom, if water of com densation is in the radiator such air is followed by such water of condensation, which will accumulate in the float-chamber until sufiicient thereof is contained therein to raise the float and unseat valve 7c, whereupon water of condensation will flow through the seat of the valve fromthe float-chamber into I the outletL.

A minimum noise in the operation of the device is obtained by the construction illus 'xjq water ofcondensation in the float-chamber will at no time rise much above the center of the float, 'and the noise of air bubbling throughwater and also the rattling of valve 7c when about to be lifted from its seat will be obviated by the air from passage-way I being discharged into the float-chamber above the level of the water therein. Separation of the air and water of condensation thus delivered into the float-chamber. is effected in the uper end of the float-chamber, the water fallin y avity and the air remaining above unti suc air is forced through the passage-wayN radiator to whichit is attached or by suffivided by groove and the water flows through the assage-way in the seat of valve is. In case 0 hammering in the radiator towhich the device is attached this separation of the air and the Water of condensation'presents the air to the force of the hammer blows, tending to prevent the crushing of the float K.

It will be noted that the difference in pressure in the inlet and discharge ends of this device, which is necessary to obtain 0 eration thereof, may be obtained by su ciently raisingthe pressure of the steam in the ciently reducing the pressure in the outletpipe L.

The principal urpose of the leakage proin valve is is to drain floatchamber J when steam is shut'out from the radiator to which the device is attached, thereby preventing freezing, and to slowly lower the level of the water of condensation in such float-chamber when water of condensation ceases to be forced over from the radiator thereto.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. Valve mechanism for discharging air and water of condensation from steam-heating systems by differential pressure, comprising a float-chamber, a liquid-discharge passage communicating therewith, a float for governing said discharge-passage, a conduit adapted to provide communication between a radiator and said float-chamber, a liquid seal arranged to be sealed by the accumulation of water of condensation in said conduit, thereby increasing the differential pressure on opposite sides of said liquid seal, whereby a portion of the accumulated water of condensation is forced into said floatchamber, and an air-discharge passage ar: ranged to discharge the air after it has passed.

, said li uid seal.

2.- alve mechanism for dischargin' air and water of condensation from steam-heating systems by differential pressure, com prising a float-chamber, a liquid-discharge passage communicatin therewith, a float and a valve attached t ereto for governing said discharge-passagqa conduit adapted to provide communication between a radiator and said float-chamber, a li uid seal arranged condensation in said conduit, thereby increasing the differential pressure on opposite the accumulated water'of' condensation is air after it has passed said liquid seal;

and water of condensation from steamat prising a float-chamber, a liquid-discharge passage communicating therewith, a float and a valve attached to the underside thereof for governing said discharge-passage, a conduit adapted to provide-communication between a radiator and said fioat chamber, a liquid seal arranged to be sealed by the ac-. cumulation of water of condensation in said conduit, thereby increasing the differential pressure on opposite sides of said liquid seal, whereby a portion of the accumulated water of condensation is forced into said float-chamber, and an air-discharge passage'arranged to discharge the air after it has passed said liquid seal.

and water of condensation from steamating systems by diiierential pressure, comprisinga float-chamber, a liquid-discharge passage communicating therewith, a float and a valve rigidly attached to and extending below the under side thereof and moving therewith to qpen and close said -discharge-passage, a con uit adapted to provide communication between a radiator and said float-chamber, a

cumulation of water of condensation in said conduit, thereby increasing the differential pressure on opposite sides of said liquid seal, whereby a portion of theaccumulated water of condensation is forced into said floatranged to discharge the air after it has passed said li uid seal. i

5. alve mechanism for dischargin air and water of condensation from steam-heatingsystems by differential pressure, comprising a float-chamber, a liquid-discharge adapted to provide'communication between a radiator and said float-chamber, and open condensation in said conduit, thereby increasing the differential pressure on opposite sides of said liquid seal, whereb a portion of the accumulated water of con ensation is forced assage arranged to dischar has passed said liquid seal.

sides of said liquid seal, whereby a portion of 4. Valve .mechanism for discharging air chamber, and an air-discharge passage aring into said float-chamber above the line of flotation of said float, a liquid seal arranged to be sealed by the accumulation of water of.

to besealed by the accumu ation of water of forced into said float-chamber, and an air discharge passage arranged to discharge the 3. Valve mechanism for discharging. air.

ing systems by differential pressure, com- I liquid seal arranged to be sealed by the acpassage communicating therewith, a float for governing said discharge-passage, a conduit- 6. Valve mechanism for discharging air and water of condensation from steam-heating systems by differential ressure, comprismg a float-chamber, a liquid-discharge passage communicating therewith, a float for governing said discharge passage, a conduit adapted to provide communication between a radiator and said-float-chamber, and opening into said float-chamber above the line of flotationof said'float, a liquid seal arranged tobe sealed by the accumulation of water of condensationin said conduit, thereby increasing the diflerential pressure on opposite sides of said liquid seal, whereby a portion of the accumulated water of condensation is forced into said float-chamber, an air-discharge passage arranged to discharge the air after it has passed said liquid seal, said-airdischarge passage communicating with the Iiquid diScharge passage beyond the floatchamber, and automatic means for restricting the flow of steam through, said air-discharge passage. I

7. Valve mechanism for dischargin air and water of condensation 'from steameatingsystems by' differential pressure, comprising float-chamber, a hquid-discharge passage communicating therewith, a float for governing said discharge-passage, a conduit adapted to provide communication between a heating system and said float-chamber, and

charge passage beyond the float-chamber,

seam

and automatic means for restricting the flow of steam through said air-discharge passage.

8. A valve mechanism comprising .a shell having a float-chamber, such shell provided with a conduit uniting the float-chamber and the radiator, an outlet-passa e and an automatically-controlled air-disc arge passage, the air-discharge passage leading from the upper end of the float-chamber, and such conduit com-prising a horizontal passa e, a well, and a passage from the Well to the oatchamber, such passage discharging into the float-chamber above the level of the water required therein to lift the float in such chamber, a weir in said well located with its lower end below the top of the horizontal passa e, a float in the float-chamber and a valve or closing said outlet-passage, said valve actuated by said float substantially as described.

. 9. A valve mechanism comprising a shell having a float-chamber, such shell provided with a conduituniting the float-chamber and the radiator, an outlet-passage and an automatically-controlled air-discharge passage, the air-discharge passage leading from the upper end of the float-chamber and discharging into a passage leading to a point below the outlet-passage of the oat-chamber, and such conduit comprising a horizontal passage, a well, and a passage from the wellto the float-chamber, said passa e discharging into the float-chamber above t e level of the water required therein to, lift the float in such chamber, a weir in said well located with its lower end. below the top of the horizontal passage, a float in the float-chamber and a valve for closing said outlet-passage, said valve actuated by said float; substantially as described.

' BYRON E. VAN AUKEN. In presence of CHARLES TURNER BROWN, THOMAS J. LEONARD 

